The embodiments herein relate to subterranean formation operations and, more particularly, to the use of functionalized proppant particulates in subterranean formation consolidation operations.
Subterranean wells (e.g., hydrocarbon producing wells, gas producing wells, water producing wells, and the like) are often stimulated by hydraulic fracturing treatments. In traditional hydraulic fracturing treatments, a treatment fluid, which may also function simultaneously or subsequently as a carrier fluid, is pumped into a portion of a subterranean formation (which may also be referred to herein as “formation”) at a rate and pressure sufficient to break down the formation and create one or more fractures therein. Typically, particulate solids, such as graded sand, are suspended in a portion of the treatment fluid and then deposited into the fractures. The particulate solids, known as “proppant particulates” (which may also be referred to herein as “proppant” or “propping particulates”) serve to prevent the fractures from fully closing once the hydraulic pressure is removed. By keeping the fractures from fully closing, the proppant particulates aid in forming conductive paths through which fluids produced from the formation flow, referred to as a “proppant pack.” The degree of success of a stimulation operation depends, at least in part, upon the porosity of the proppant pack to permit the flow of fluids through the interconnected interstitial spaces between abutting proppant particulates.
The flowback of the proppant particulates from the proppant pack in the fracture may be undesirable. Such flowback of the proppant particulates may decrease the productivity of the well due to fracture closure (i.e., the proppant pack is no longer capable of withstanding fracture closure pressures), and because such flowback may erode metal equipment, plug piping and vessels, or cause damage to valves, instruments, and other production equipment. One method used to prevent flowback of the proppant particulates forming a proppant pack is to coat the proppant particulates with a hardenable resin, which may be precoated onto the proppant particulates or coated thereon on-the-fly. As used herein, the term “on-the-fly” refers to performing an operation during a subterranean treatment that does not require stopping normal operations. The hardenable resin composition may bring about the consolidation of the proppant particulates into a hard, permeable mass having compressive and tensile strength that may be capable of preventing the proppant particulates from flowing out of the fracture.
Hardenable resins are typically two-part resin systems formed from a curable resin and a hardening agent. As such, either both portions must be coated onto the proppant particulates or both portions must be otherwise contacted with the proppant particulates (e.g., in the treatment fluid) to ensure curing. The curable resin and the hardening agent may react and form a hardenable resin capable of consolidating proppant particulates, however, secondary conditions such as temperature, closure stress, and other factors often dictate the success of any such consolidation.